Club reveals encouraging outlook at 2016 Annual General Meeting

Kent Cricket welcomed more than 100 Members for the Annual General Meeting on Monday evening in the HR GO Harris Room at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

Chief executive Jamie Clifford presented the club’s encouraging core financial results showing a sixth successive year of improvement thanks to a growth in ticket and membership sales as well as rising commercial revenues from sponsorship, the St Lawrence Clinic and the Madness concert.

Mr Clifford pointed to a good outlook for 2016 with strong sales despite the absence of a high-profile tour match like the visit of Australia last season.

Off the field, Kent Cricket has agreed the sale of land adjacent to Old Dover Road with McCarthy and Stone for the development of bespoke retirement apartments.

Mr Clifford said: “2015 was a really encouraging year with all our key targets being achieved. Most importantly though lots of supporters enjoyed a season of exciting cricket in our ever improving grounds at both Canterbury and Beckenham.

“The sale of the land to McCarthy and Stone is a key turning point in the club’s financial fortunes but we must also thank our Members, Supporters, Partners and Staff for their ongoing support.”

Chairman of cricket Graham Johnson looked back on a mixed year on the pitch with good performances in limited-overs competitions but inconsistency in the red-ball game.

He pointed to an investment in young talent from the prolific Kent Cricket Academy bearing fruit and the addition of two overseas players to bolster the squad this summer.

The former Kent all-rounder said: “We finished top of the South Group and reached the quarter-finals in the NatWest T20 Blast and reached the same stage in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

“We acknowledge that recent red-ball form has not been good enough and under Sam Northeast’s leadership, there has been a renewed focus on our approach in the longer form of the game.

“The depth of the squad has improved greatly in recent years, exemplified by the improvement of the second XI with the side finishing third in Championship cricket and runners-up in T20.”

Captain Sam Northeast and head coach Jimmy Adams attended to speak about cricketing matters and answer questions from members.

Lady Kingsdown was appointed Club President for a second successive year and told members: “This is a huge honour and I will do my utmost to prove myself worthy of the committee’s trust.

“I look forward to the season with keen anticipation. Kent Cricket at every level, men, women, boys and girls is filled with talent and we can rely on the community cricket team to make sure young players are nurtured in the sport.

“If we abide by our strapline Together We Are Kent, the club will flourish in all its facets.”